


Piece by Piece

by Destiel



Category: Code Black (TV)
Genre: Abusive Parents, Canonical Character Death, Childhood, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Past Child Abuse, Realization, Song Lyrics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-16
Updated: 2016-12-16
Packaged: 2018-09-08 23:08:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8867005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Destiel/pseuds/Destiel
Summary: Mario hears a song on the radio and gets hit by a realization that he should have had a long time ago, because now everything makes sense... and of course he has to tell his best friend about it... Spoilers up to 2x09 I think, but if you've seen what happens with Mario and his father, you're good to go, because the spoilers aren't really huge... ;-)





	

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to my beta-reader for the work. It really helped a lot to have someone look over the story =D

**Piece by Piece**

 

_He never walks away, he never asks for money, he takes care of me,_ _‘cause he loves me..._

The song still rang in Mario’s ears minutes after he had pulled over.

 

On his way home from work he had turned on the radio – like always – and then this new song had started to play. A song he had never heard before, but one that hit home right away. The lyrics spoke to him like the song was written especially for him. It had immediately sent shivers down Mario’s spine. And then he had felt the familiar burn in his eyes and known that he couldn’t go on driving in his sudden state of mind.

 

His father had just died and the pain was still fresh in his memory, too fresh. He didn’t even know why it still hurt so much, because his old man had never really been a father at all. Not to him anyway. Vincent Savetti had been a drunk for as long as Mario could remember. On top of that, he had started gambling away all of his money eventually to the extent that Mario’s mother hadn’t been able to cope any longer, and had taken her own life. She had left Mario all alone, to deal with this guy that called himself his father whenever it suited him. When it didn’t, he tended to ignore him. Which had been Mario’s preference most of the time anyway.

 

It had changed him. It had forced him to grow up earlier than a child should have. It had made it almost impossible for Mario to trust anyone. He had built up a wall around himself that had been indestructible.

 

At least until _he_ had walked into his life.

 

Angus Leighton.

 

At first – Mario being his stubborn self – he had tried everything to push him away. He had done anything in his power to not get too close to him, but Angus was just as stubborn as he was. And he hadn’t given up on him, no matter what stunt he had pulled. Eventually he had started to tear down the walls around Mario, had made Mario open up and let him in.

 

They only knew each other for more than a year now, but in these past few months Angus had managed to become the most important person in Mario’s life. Angus had become more like family to Mario than his own had ever been. Not that he had any family left now that his father was gone.

 

Angus had always been there for him, through everything. He had been his rock through the darkest of times. Angus hadn’t let Mario push him away when he had found him down at the morgue, talking to his dead father’s body. He had pulled Mario into a hug, a hug Mario hadn’t even been aware he had needed and he had held his crying, shaking body until his sobs had finally died down. Mario had never felt safer than in that moment, in his strong arms. Mario knew that things should have been awkward between them once Angus had let go of him, but they weren’t. And instead of leaving him then to deal with his own grief Angus hadn’t stopped taking care of him at all. He had insisted on driving Mario home. He had cooked dinner for them both, despite Mario claiming he wasn’t hungry. Mario had eaten anyway, and it had felt good not to be alone. Never in his life had he felt that close to anyone. Angus had helped him through all the pain of it.

 

Mario knew he should have realized it then.

 

He should have realized it much earlier.

 

Should have realized what had hit him right then, in his car, on his way home.

 

That Angus wasn’t just his best friend. That he wasn’t just the most important person in his life, but his whole world. And that he loved him. In a way he had never loved anyone before.

 

Mario knew that realization alone should scare the shit out of him, but somehow it didn’t. Instead it made him feel free, and it was almost liberating to finally see it clearly. To see what – or rather who – had been right in front of his eyes all this time.

 

He had no idea what Angus felt for him. If his feelings for him were one-sided or if there was any chance they could have something real there. But he also didn’t care. All he wanted was to see him and to tell him how he felt. Right away.

 

And so he started the engine of his car again and made his way to the apartment building Angus lived in. The whole ten-minute drive happened more or less in a blur, and when he was finally standing in front of Angus’s door his heart was beating so hard that he felt like it would jump right out of his ripcage if it went on like this. With shaking fingers he pressed the button for the bell and waited.

 

It couldn’t have been more than ten, seconds before he heard the heavy footsteps moving towards the door, and yet it felt like an eternity before the door finally opened and Angus appeared in front of him, wearing grey sweatpants and a dark blue t-shirt. His hair was wet and his skin still glistened. It was obvious that he had taken a shower not that long ago and the smell surrounding him was intoxicating. It made Mario almost forget what he came here for and he found himself staring at him for several moments.

 

“Mario, hey, are you alright?” Angus’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

 

Mario felt like a spell had been broken in that moment, and for a second he questioned his own decision to come here. This could change everything. This could end their friendship. It could destroy everything they had built up over these past couple of months and he knew that losing Angus altogether would be far worse than being turned down by him.

 

Mario opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again quickly. No sound would leave his throat. He felt stupid all of a sudden. He had rushed here like an idiot, not even thinking about the consequences his actions could have and now he didn’t know if he could go through with it at all.

 

A warm hand on his shoulder reminded him that he was still just standing there, but instead of finally speaking up he let Angus pull him into his apartment and watched the door fall shut behind them.

 

“Did something happen? Are you alright?”

 

Once more it was Angus that broke the silence and Mario could hear the concern in his voice, could see the worry in his eyes.

 

“Talk to me, please, or I can’t help you,” he heard Angus say and finally Mario’s courage broke through again.

 

“I... I heard this song on the radio,” he started, a confused look visible on Angus’s face.

 

“You heard a song on the radio...” he repeated, causing Mario to nod.

 

Walking over to the couch he sat down, tapping the seat next to him to make Angus join him, which he did mere seconds later.

 

“The song was about someone with an abusive father, or rather a father that was never there. Only came back into their life when he needed money. It... it made me think...” Mario explained, even though that was just the tip of the iceberg.

 

“I’m so-“ Angus started, but Mario interrupted him right away.

 

“I’m not done,” he said. “That wasn’t all the song was about. It was also about having someone in your life that helps you through the worst times. Someone that makes you realize that you’re worth more than your father thinks you are. Someone that takes you just the way you are and takes care of you.”

 

Biting his lip Mario looked at Angus, looked him deep in the eyes.

 

“It made me realize something I should have realized much sooner, and I know I’m blind-siding you with this right now, but it took me by surprise as well. Angus, you’re... you’re the most wonderful person I’ve ever met and you have changed my life, and I don’t know what I would do if I ever lost you. I think...” Mario stopped himself, shaking his head, before he went on talking. “No, I don’t think, I know that I love you. And by that I mean I’m in love with you. I’m crazy for you. All I wanna do right now is throw myself at you. Kiss you like there’s no tomorrow. But if you don’t feel he same I want you to just tell me and I promise I will never bring it up again and I will just leave and we can act like this never happened, okay?” Letting out a breath of relief Mario grinned at Angus sheepishly. “And now I’m done, and I’m sorry, but I just had to say it out loud.”

 

Angus just stared at Mario, not saying a single word. It seemed like someone had frozen time in this moment, and he didn’t even move or blink or anything. He just sat there in silence. A silence that was okay at first but eventually started to feel really uncomfortable.

 

“Please... please, say something, Angus,” Mario almost begged. “I... I can’t lose you over this, and if you want me to leave, I will. Just say something. Anything.”

 

Angus still stayed quiet, but he reached forward and grabbed Mario’s hand. He held it in his own and his thumb started stroking the back. His eyes were still resting on Mario. It felt like salvation when he finally started speaking again.

 

“You’re never gonna lose me, no matter what happens, that much I can promise you.”

 

Mario nodded, letting out a sigh of relief. “Good. That’s good.” He looked down at their hands and then back up at Angus. “So what’s going to happen? What are you going to do with this information?”

 

“I... I don’t know,” Angus replied honestly. “I know you’re my best friend, and that I never had a friend like you in my life. When I was younger all the kids always picked on me and it was Mike who always came to my rescue. I never knew friendship like I have with you. Or Malaya for that matter, but it’s different with her. You and I... I can be myself around you and you’ve been there for me more than I could ever imagine too. First the thing with Heather getting me hooked on those pills and then Mike’s accident. Without you I wouldn’t have made it through all of this.”

 

“Yes, you would have,” Mario interrupted him. “Because you’re strong. Probably stronger than you give yourself credit for. But I’m glad I was able to be there for you. Just like you’ve been there for me. Now I can finally see that you are not just my best friend, but so much more than that. For the first time ever everything seems to make sense. You and me... it’s the only thing that makes sense in my life anymore,” he said, holding Angus’s hand tighter. “When you hold me, I feel safe and when you’re with me I know I can make it through everything... At my dad’s funeral, when I took your hand, and when you wouldn’t let go of mine even afterwards... no matter what I said then: It wasn’t just a reflex. It was me wanting to feel that you’re there with me. I know you’d been standing right next to me the whole time, but holding your hand gave me the strength I needed to make it through that day. I just need you in my life.”

 

“And I need you in mine,” Angus replied. His whole body was gravitating towards Mario’s as if an invisible power was pulling him towards him.

 

Lifting his free hand Angus reached out to touch Mario’s cheek.

 

“But I’m scared,” he confessed.

 

“I’m scared too,” Mario admitted, leaning into the touch. “If we mess this up we’re not just losing a lover, we’re losing all of this and we both know that I probably _will_ mess this up.”

 

“So you’re saying we probably shouldn’t do this?” Angus asked, though it was more of a statement than a question.

 

“I don’t know what I’m saying,” Mario admitted. “I just know that I want this and that for the first time in my life I have something that feels real. Neither of my relationships worked out because I couldn’t open up to anyone. But you tore down that wall around me so easily. You’ve seen me at my best and at my worst. You know me better than anyone and I know you. And I feel like we can make this work.”

 

“What if we don’t?” Angus asked, saying what Mario himself feared most.

 

“Then we’ll work through it and become best friends again. We’ve been friends before...” he pointed between himself and Angus. “...before whatever this is even started. We can be friends afterwards should it come to it. But what if it could work out and we’re just too scared to even try and miss something wonderful? Don’t you think it would be worth it?”

 

Mario leaned forward, smiling at Angus.

 

“If my father’s death has taught me anything, it’s that life is short, and that I wanna do the things that make me happy. You make me happy, Angus, and kissing you would make me happy... and tearing up that shirt and getting you into bed would make me happy...”

 

A laugh escaped Angus’s throat.

 

“So you just came here to get laid?” he joked.

 

Mario smirked at him. “Oh, you know, I think that’s one of the advantages of being in a relationship. Being able to get the other naked whenever you want, as long as it’s not in public.”

 

Again, Angus laughed. A sound that made a thousand butterflies in Mario’s stomach start to flutter.

 

“So you want his to be a relationship?” he asked, becoming serious again.

 

“I... I want to be with you, Angus. I wanna see where it leads us. We don’t have to label this and no one else has to know. This is no one’s business but ours. I just think we should give it a try. Unless you don’t feel the same way about me as I feel about you,” Mario replied, tilting his head.

 

Angus smiled gently.

 

“Does any of this...” he pointed to their hands and demonstratively started stroking Mario’s cheek. “...feel like I don’t?”

 

“No,” Mario smiled back. “No, it doesn’t. So... can we try the whole kissing thing now? Because even though I’m a very patient guy, my patience isn’t unlimited.”

 

Instead of an answer, Angus leaned forward, bringing their foreheads together. He kept his eyes locked on Mario’s for a moment before closing them and moving his lips that last inch that was still between them. When Mario finally felt Angus’s mouth on his own his eyes fell shut as well. He just leaned into the kiss, into Angus, Angus’s strong arms coming around him to hold him tight and once more he felt safe. This felt right and he just knew they would work out one way or another.

 

_Piece by piece he collected me, up off the ground where you abandoned things, piece by piece, he filled the holes that you burned in me six years old..._


End file.
